3C Awards

What 3C Awards does

3C Awards is a Switzerland-incorporated (Three C Group GmbH, Baar) design awards organization that operates a portfolio of seven international design competitions: SIT Furniture Design Award, LIT Lighting Design Awards, BLT Built Design Awards, LIV Hospitality Design Awards, FIT Sport Design Awards, Global Footwear Awards (GFA), and Africa International Design Awards (AIDA). Founded in 2020 by Hossein Farmani and Astrid Hébert as a sister company to Farmani Group (founded 1985), the organization also publishes D5 Magazine, a design advocacy platform covering five disciplines. The company serves international designers, architects, and design firms across furniture, lighting, architecture, hospitality, sports, and footwear verticals, drawing entries from 65+ countries and judging through a panel of 100+ experts.

The business model is event-driven and fee-based: designers and firms pay entry fees to submit work for judging, with pricing not publicly disclosed. Distribution is self-serve via dedicated program websites (sitaward.com, litawards.com, etc.) and supported by an extensive media partnership network (ArchDaily, Designboom, Azure Magazine, Yanko Design, Hospitality Net) and a formal university partner program with 20+ institutions. The organization runs on a lean team of approximately six employees distributed across Switzerland, Hungary, Brazil, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, with no external institutional funding raised to date. The GTM motion is event-driven, relying on annual awards cycles, exhibitions, and PR amplification.

The platform has no proprietary technology stack, no AI/ML capabilities, no APIs, and no patents; its defensibility rests on brand portfolio, jury reputation, media partnerships, and the multi-decade Farmani Group heritage. The company is founder-controlled with Hossein Farmani and Astrid Hébert as co-founders and no disclosed external investment.

Name

3C Awards

Legal name

Three C Group GmbH

Website

https://3cawards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

3C Awards is a Swiss-based design awards organization (Three C Group GmbH) that operates seven international competitions across furniture, lighting, architecture, hospitality, sports, and footwear, plus D5 Magazine, serving designers and firms from 65+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Awards Services

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Awards Ceremonies & Competitions (Judging, Voting) (MPAGAOAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trade Show & Exhibition Marketing (Booth Design/Build) (MPAAAGAC)

Keywords

• Design awards programs
• International design competitions
• Architecture design awards
• Furniture design awards
• Lighting design awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Baar

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Design Competition Entry Fees: The organization generates revenue primarily through entry fees for its international design award programs including SIT (Furniture), LIT (Lighting), BLT (Built Design), LIV (Hospitality), FIT (Sport Design), and GFA (Global Footwear Awards). Designers and firms pay to submit their work for judging.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

3C Awards operates a portfolio of international design award programs covering furniture, lighting, architecture, hospitality, sports equipment, footwear, and African design, plus the D5 design advocacy magazine. Designers and firms submit entries which are judged by over 100 expert jury members, with submissions received from 65+ countries annually. The organization also provides exhibitions, events, networking opportunities, and marketing support to winners.

Product overview

3C Awards is a multi-brand award organization operating as a portfolio of distinct design awards programs. The organization encompasses eight award programs: SIT Furniture Design Award, LIT Lighting Design Awards, BLT Built Design Awards, LIV Hospitality Design Awards, FIT Sport Design Awards, Global Footwear Awards, D5 MAG (a design magazine), and Africa International Design Awards (AIDA). These programs collectively cover lighting, furniture, architecture, interior design, sports equipment and apparel, footwear, and hospitality design. The awards serve professional and emerging designers from around the world, with entries submitted from 65 countries annually and evaluated by over 100 expert jury members. The organization also provides networking opportunities, marketing support, and exhibition opportunities for winners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SIT Furniture Design Award

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

37 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Farmani GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarmani Group is the sister company of 3C Group, founded by Hossein Farmani. It is a leading organization curating and promoting photography, design, and architecture across the globe since 1985. Both organizations share founders and operate in the design promotion space.
• World Design Organization (WDO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree C Group GmbH is a member of the World Design Organization (WDO), a global design advocacy body.
• LED ForumminorOthersLighting industry media partner for 3C Awards programs.
• Professional Lighting DesignminorOthersLighting design industry publication partner.
• Women in LightingminorOthersInternational platform dedicated to promoting and supporting women in the lighting design profession.
• Brazilian Association of Lighting Architecture (SABAVS)minorOthersFounded in 1999, legally constituted in 2001, working as an independent organization promoting knowledge of architectural lighting in Brazilian society.
• Asia Pacific Design CenterminorOthersDesign media and industry organization in the Asia Pacific region.
• Design Energy ChinaminorOthersDesign media organization in China.
• DesignkeeperminorOthersDesign industry platform partner.
• Design Box AwardsminorOthersDesign awards platform.
• Global Design Awards LabminorOthersDesign awards organization.
• Design EpochminorOthersDesign media organization.
• LIK MediaminorOthersDesign media partner.
• UDIT - University of Design, Innovation and TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish university providing Product Design program. Students have won awards in LIT, SIT, FIT, and GFA programs. Partnership includes attendance at award ceremonies and student support for submissions.
• Shenkar - Engineering. Design. Art.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsraeli university with design programs. Four-year partnership providing exceptional platform for design students in lighting, furniture, and sports design through LIT, SIT and FIT competitions.
• American University in Dubai (AUD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAE university with Interior Design program. Associate Professor Annamaria Lambri coordinates outreach for the partnership with 3C Awards competitions.
• Anahuac University of MexicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexican university with Industrial Design program. Academic coordinator Lilian González-González manages partnership for international student exhibition and competition participation.
• Fakulteta za dizajn / Faculty of Design SloveniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovenian design faculty. Head of Department Jan Krmelj coordinates partnership, emphasizing shared values in recognizing, developing, and supporting young creative minds.
• University of Oregon - Sports Product DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university with Sports Product Design program. Founding Director Dr. Susan Sokolowski manages partnership for FIT Sport Design Awards student participation.
• Georgia Institute of Technology - School of Industrial DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university with industrial design program. Chair and Professor EunSook Kwon coordinates LIT Awards participation, leveraging Georgia Tech's legacy in lighting design from Bauhaus.
• Canadian University DubaiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAE university with Interior Design program. Head of Department Sophie Johnson manages LIV Awards student participation.
• Cape Peninsula University of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth African university with Architectural Technology and Interior Design program. Senior Lecturer Colleen Cocotos coordinates partnership, praising diverse award categories and exceptional jury selection.
• University of Michigan - Taubman CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university architecture program. Jimmy Grote manages partnership noting public reach and grant opportunities for student architectural research.
• Universidad IberoamericanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexican university with Fashion Design and Interior Design programs. Multiple partnerships across FIT Sport Design Awards and general 3C Awards competitions.
• College for Creative StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university with Industrial Design Program. Department Chair Greg Darby coordinates award participation for design excellence.
• Pensole Lewis College of Business & DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS design college. Engagement Manager Sean Williams encourages global design community participation in FIT Sport Design Awards.
• California College of the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university educating students as global changemakers through purposeful practice and critical discourse.
• Western Washington UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university with design programs.
• University of HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university with design programs.
• Purdue UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS university with design programs.
• ArchDailycoreOthersLeading online architecture and design publication. Promotes BLT Built Design Awards call for submissions.
• DesignboomcoreOthersInfluential design magazine and platform. Features LIT Lighting Design Awards competitions.
• Azure MagazinecoreOthersCanadian design and architecture magazine. Promotes SIT Furniture Design Awards.
• Yanko DesigncoreOthersOnline design publication. Features award-winning furniture design from SIT Awards.
• Hospitality NetcoreOthersHospitality industry news platform. Covers LIV Hospitality Design Awards winners.
• Amazing ArchitectureminorOthersArchitecture publication featuring BLT Built Design Awards winners.
• Design WantedminorOthersDesign media platform featuring SIT Furniture Design Awards highlights.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DNA Paris Design Awards: DNA Paris Design Awards runs fee-based international design competitions across architecture, interior, and product design with annual jury evaluation and PR support — a direct peer in the European multi-category design-award segment.
• iF Design Award: iF Design Award is a long-running international design competition with paid submissions, expert juries, and tiered recognition across product, architecture, interior, and communication design — directly comparable to 3C Awards' SIT, LIT, and BLT programs.
• International Design Awards (IDA): IDA is a multi-category international design award with paid entries and jury judging across architecture, interior, product, fashion, and graphic design — overlapping directly with 3C Awards' cross-discipline submission model.
• Red Dot Design Award: Red Dot is one of the most established international design competitions covering product, communication, and design concept categories with jury judging and high-profile ceremonies — a comparable, more established peer to 3C Awards.
• Frame Awards: Frame Awards is an international competition dedicated to interior and spatial design with paid submissions, jury judging, and high-visibility ceremonies — directly comparable to 3C Awards' LIV Hospitality Design Awards program.
• European Product Design Award: European Product Design Award is a paid, jury-judged international competition for industrial and product designers — comparable to the SIT and FIT awards in 3C Awards' portfolio.
• Hospitality Design Awards (HD Awards): HD Awards recognizes excellence in hospitality interior and product design through fee-based submissions and jury evaluation — directly comparable to 3C Awards' LIV Hospitality Design Awards program.
• A' Design Award & Competition: A' Design Award runs a broad, internationally recognized multi-discipline design competition with paid entry fees, jury judging, and PR exposure — directly comparable to 3C Awards' portfolio of fee-based programs and judging model.
• Good Design Awards (Australia): Good Design Awards is one of the longest-running international design award programs with paid entries, expert juries, and tiered recognition across product, architecture, and digital design — directly comparable to 3C Awards' judging-and-recognition model.

Others

• Farmani Group: Farmani Group is the sister company of 3C Awards (same founder, Hossein Farmani) curating photography, design, and architecture competitions and events since 1985. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant that shares founders and overlapping design-industry reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3c-awards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 3C Awards